In Umbraco 17 and uSkinned 6+, unpublishing a page allows you to take it offline without permanently deleting the content from your site tree. This is the preferred method for managing seasonal content or pages that require further editing before being visible to the public.
Step-by-Step Instructions
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Navigate to the Content Section: Open the Umbraco backoffice and locate the page you want to take offline in the content tree on the left.
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Open the Actions Menu: Right-click on the page name or click the three dots (···) next to the name to open the slide-out actions panel.
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Select "Unpublish": Click on the Unpublish option within the menu.
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Confirm the Action: A confirmation prompt will appear. Verify that you have selected the correct node and click Confirm.
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Observe the Change: Due to the real-time Management API in Umbraco 17, the page icon in the tree will instantly turn gray (dimmed), signifying it is no longer live.
Pro-Tips for Content Management
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Unpublishing vs. Deleting: Always use unpublish if you think you might need the content again in the future; deleting it moves it to the Recycle Bin, where it may eventually be permanently removed.
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Check Sub-pages: When you unpublish a parent page, all of its sub-pages (child nodes) will also become inaccessible to the public.
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Redirects: If the page you are unpublishing was previously indexed by search engines, consider setting up a redirect to a relevant live page to avoid 404 errors for visitors.
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Preview Mode: You can still view and edit an unpublished page using the Preview button at the top right of the editor to see how it looks before re-publishing.
For a visual walkthrough of managing content and the backoffice interface in Umbraco 17+, you can refer to the official Umbraco HQ overview:
Note: This video shows the specific steps to toggle a page from 'Published' back to 'Unpublished' and how to check the status in the Info tab.
Relevant Links & Resources
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uSkinned Video Tutorials: For a visual walk-through of node management, visit the uSkinned YouTube Channel.
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Official Documentation: For advanced backoffice features, refer to the Umbraco CMS Documentation.
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uSkinned Help Guides: Detailed guides on content and navigation can be found at the uSkinned Resources Portal.
Pro-Tip: Before unpublishing a high-traffic page, check the Info tab to see its "Public URL." If people have bookmarked that link, they will see a "404 Not Found" error once you unpublish. It is often a good idea to set up a Redirect to a different live page first!